Early one morning   With time to kill   I borrowed Jebb's rifle   And sat on a hill   I saw a lone rider   Crossing the plain   I drew a bead on him   To practice my aim      My brother's rifle   Went of in my hand   A shot rang out   Across the land   The horse, he kept running   The rider was dead   I hung my head   I hung my head      I set off running   To wake from the dream   My brother's rifle   Went into the sheen   I kept on running   Into the south lands   That's where they found me   My head and my hands      The sheriff he asked me   Why had I run   And then it came to me   Just what I had done   And all for no reason   Just one peace of lead   I hung my head   I hung my head      Here in the court house   The whole town was there   I see the judge   High up in the chair   Explain to the court room   What went through you mind   And we'll ask the jury   What verdict they find      I felt the power   Of death over life   I orphaned his children   I widowed his wife   I begged their forgiveness   I wish I was dead   I hung my head   I hung my head      I hung my head   I hung my head      Early one morning   With time to kill   I see the gallows   Up on a hill   And out in the distance   A trick of the brain   I see a lone rider   Crossing the plain      And he'd come to fetch me   To see what they'd done   And we'd ride together   To kingdom come   I prayed for god's mercy   For soon I'd be dead   I hung my head   I hung my head      I hung my head   I hung my head